Washing machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention is related to a washing machine which can compensate a sagged portion of a drum for preventing a portion between a tub and the drum from exposing in a state the drum holds laundry. 
     The washing machine includes a tub for accommodating washing water, the tub having a laundry opening, a drum rotatably coupled in the tub for receiving laundry, the drum having an opening matched to the laundry opening, and a gasket having a blocking portion for blocking a portion of the laundry opening of the tub, asymmetrically.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a washing device.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a drum type washing machine has a tub mounted in a cabinetwhich forms an exterior of the washing machine for accommodating washingwater. Inside of the tub, there is a drum rotatably mounted in the tubfor receiving laundry. Since the drum is rotated by a motor, andvibration of the drum is transmitted to the tub, springs, dampers, andbalancers are provided to the washing machine for attenuating thevibration.

The tub is suspended from an inside of the cabinet with hanging springs,and the motor is mounted to a rear side of the tub for rotating the drumin the tub. That is, the motor mounted to the rear side of the tubconnects the drum to the tub.

In the meantime, a related art drum type washing machine causes thevibration at the drum due to unbalance of weight of the laundry leanedto one side when the drum rotates at a high speed. As the vibrationtransmits from the drum to the tub, the tub also vibrates.

Consequently, in order to prevent the tub from hitting the cabinet dueto vibration of the tub, an adequate gap between an outsidecircumferential surface of the tub and the cabinet is required.Therefore, as far as a size of the cabinet is not increased, a volume ofthe tub can not be increased. It is a recent trend that the consumersprefer a larger capacity of washing for the same size of cabinet. Tomeet such a user demand, a fixed tub type washing machine has beendeveloped having a structure in which the tub is connected to thecabinet directly and the vibration does not transmit from the drum tothe tub for increasing an effective volume.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

To solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to providea washing machine which can compensate a sagged portion of a drum forpreventing a portion between a tub and the drum from exposing in a statethe drum holds laundry.

Technical Solution

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, awashing machine includes a tub for accommodating washing water, the tubhaving a laundry opening, a drum rotatably coupled in the tub forreceiving laundry, the drum having an opening matched to the laundryopening; and a gasket having a blocking portion for blocking a portionof the laundry opening of the tub, asymmetrically.

The blocking portion blocks the laundry opening asymmetrically inup/down directions.

The blocking portion is formed to block a portion of an upper side oflaundry opening of the tub.

The blocking portion is formed to make an upper most side of the openingin the drum is not visible from a front side of the tub.

The blocking portion is formed in a shape of a stream line along aninside circumferential surface of an opening side of the drum.

The gasket includes a door sealing portion for sealing a door whichopens/closes the laundry opening in the tub, and the blocking portion isformed extended further from the door sealing portion inwardly in aradial direction.

The gasket includes a first fastening portion for placing acircumferential surface projected forward from a front of the tubtherein, and a second fastening portion to be fastened to an insidesurface of the tub.

The second fastening portion includes a tub fastening portion having aplurality of grooves for placing projections or hooks formed on aninside surface of the tub therein.

The washing machine further comprise a driving unit having a rotationshaft connected to the drum, a bearing housing for supporting therotation shaft, and a motor for rotating the rotation shaft, and asuspension unit connected to the bearing housing for damping vibrationof the drum.

The washing machine further comprise a driving unit having a rotationshaft connected to the drum, a bearing housing for supporting therotation shaft, and a motor for rotating the rotation shaft, and a reargasket for sealing a rear side of the tub to prevent water from leakingfrom the tub to the driving unit and enabling the driving unit to makemovement relative to the tub.

The washing machine further comprise a suspension unit for supportingand damping the drum, and the tub is supported rigidly more than thedrum is supported by the suspension unit.

Advantageous Effects

The present invention has following advantageous effects.

The washing machine of the present invention improves an estheticappreciation of the washing machine as the washing machine can blockexposure of a gap between the tub and the drum caused by sagging of thefront of the drum in a state the drum holds the laundry to the maximum.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide furtherunderstanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of thedisclosure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a section of a washing machine in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates perspective view of a door gasket mounted to the tubin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the door gasket in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram showing a sagged state of the drum when thedrum in FIG. 1 is in operation, schematically;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view showing a relation between the doorgasket and the drum in FIG. 1 in a state the drum is empty; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view showing a relation between the doorgasket and the drum in FIG. 5 in a state the drum is sagged.

BEST MODE

Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

The present invention will be described taking a tub fixed type washingmachine having a front portion of the tub directly connected to acabinet as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a section of a washing machine in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 illustratesperspective view of a door gasket mounted to the tub in FIG. 1, FIG. 3illustrates a perspective view of the door gasket in FIG. 2. FIG. 4illustrates a diagram showing a sagged state of the drum when the drumin FIG. 1 is in operation schematically, FIG. 5 illustrates a front viewshowing a relation between the door gasket and the drum in FIG. 1 in astate the drum is empty, and FIG. 6 illustrates a front view showing arelation between the door gasket and the drum in FIG. 5 in a state thedrum is sagged.

Referring to FIG. 1, the washing machine 1 includes a cabinet 10 whichforms an exterior of the washing machine 1, a tub 20 in the cabinet 10directly connected thereto, a drum 30 rotatably mounted in the tub 20, amotor 40 mounted in rear of the tub 20 for rotating the drum 30, abearing housing 28 which is a rear side of the tub 20 and supports ashaft 42 of the motor 40, damping means 50 mounted between the bearinghousing 28 and the tub 20 for sealing an inside of the tub 20 anddamping vibration or impact transmitting from the motor 40 to the tub20, and a suspension assembly 60 for supporting the drum 30 and dampingthe vibration or impact transmitting to the bearing housing 28.

The cabinet 10 has a door 12 mounted to a front 11 thereof foropening/closing an opening for introduction of the laundry into thedrum, and a base 16 fixedly secured to an underside thereof. The cabinet10 also may have a top bracket 73 at an upper side 13 for securing anelastic member 72 for suspending the bearing housing.

The tub 20 is directly fixed to an inside of the cabinet 10. Preferably,the tub 20 and the cabinet 10 may be fixed as a side of the tub 20facing the door 12 is fastened to an inside of the front 11 of thecabinet 10 with screws 25. Of course, a side or a rear of the tub 20 maybe fastened to the cabinet 10. The tub also has a laundry opening 22 ina front matched to the opening in the cabinet 10 for introduction of thelaundry to the drum 30.

The bearing housing 28 is fixedly mounted to a rear side of the tub 20.The bearing housing 28 has bearings (not shown) mounted thereto forsmooth rotation of the motor shaft 42, and the motor shaft 42 issupported on the bearings.

The damping means 50 dampens the vibration or impact transmitting fromthe drum 30 and the motor 40 to the tub 20 at the time of washing orspinning. Therefore, it is preferable that the damping means 50 isformed of an elastic material which contacts or relaxes against thevibration or the impact.

The motor 40 is coupled to a rear of the bearing housing 28, and themotor shaft 42 is passed through the bearing housing 28 and fixedlysecured to the rear side of the drum 30.

The drum 30 is rotated by the motor shaft 42, and has lifters 32 on aninside circumferential surface for moving the laundry. The drum 30 alsohas a balancer 34 in a front for balancing action to suppress vibrationof the drum 30 at the time of spinning (though various kinds ofbalancers, such as a liquid balancer or ball balance, can be used, aliquid balancer is used for the embodiment of the present invention).

In the meantime, the suspension assembly 60 includes a damper bracket 62coupled to the bearing housing 28, and a damping unit coupled to thedamper bracket 62 for supporting the bearing housing 28.

The damping unit includes a maim damper 80 for supporting weight of thedrum 30 and damping vertical direction vibration, and a sub-damper 90for damping horizontal direction vibration of the drum 30.

The drum 30 and the bearing housing 28 are lifted up and supported bythe damping unit having the main damper 80 and the sub-damper 90.

Thus, since the tub 20 is directly fixed to the cabinet 10, and thevibration does not transmit from the drum 30 to the tub 20, a diameterof the tub 20 can be made greater than the related art washing machine.Eventually, the washing machine of the present invention has an effectof expanding effective volumes of the tub 20 and the drum 30.

Since the tub 20 is fixed to the cabinet 10, if the vibration or impactis transmitted to the tub 20 fixed to the cabinet 10 as one body, notonly the tub 20 itself shakes, but because weight of the cabinet 10 isadded, increasing rigidity of the tub 20, an effect of improving anoverall vibration characteristic of the washing machine can be expected.

Moreover, since the drum 30 rotating thus is supported only on one side,the inside volume of the drum 30 can be expanded further than a type ofthe drum 30 which is supported on both sides. Accordingly, since anumber of components can be reduced as many, improvement of productivitycan be expected.

In the meantime, there is a predetermined gap between the drum 30 andthe tub 20 such that the drum 30 is not brought into contact with thetub 20 when the drum 30 vibrates. However, if a foreign matter, such asa coin or a button, is placed between the tub 20 and drum 30, theforeign matter is liable to make noise as the foreign matter hits thedrum 30. Therefore, it is necessary to have a structure for preventingthe foreign matter from being placed between the tub 20 and the drum 30for preventing the placement of the foreign matter and sealing betweenthe tub 20 and the drum 30.

Referring to FIG. 4, the drum 30 is supported on the damping unit havinga main damper 80 and a sub-damper 90. Therefore, if the laundry isintroduced to the drum 30, the drum 30 sags down by laundry weight.

Particularly, if the drum 30 sags down when the drum 30 holds thelaundry or the washing water to the maximum, the gap between a top ofthe tub 20 and a top of the drum 30 becomes greater, also makingpossibility of introduction of the foreign matter thereto greater.

Moreover, the exposure of the gap between the top of the tub 20 and atop of the drum 30 to an outside of the washing machine, making partspositioned at an exposed portion visible to the user, impairs estheticappreciation.

Therefore, the washing machine in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention prevents the foreign matter fromentering between the tub 20 and the drum 30.

Along with this, a door gasket 80 is applied to the washing machine ofthe present invention for compensating the gap between the top of thedrum 30 and the tub 20 in a case the drum 30 sags down by the laundryweight (the compensation used herein means blocking of the gap betweenthe top of the drum 30 and the tub 20, will be defined as a word havingthe same meaning with blocking or covering, and will be used together).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the door gasket 80 is mounted along thelaundry opening 22 in the tub 20 formed matched to the opening in thefront of the cabinet 10. That is, an outside surface of the door gasket80 is in close contact with an inside surface of the laundry opening 22.Therefore, it is preferable that the door gasket 80 has a adequate widthsuch that the door gasket 80 is securely fastened to the inside surfaceof the laundry opening 22 of the tub 20. The door gasket 80 may have atub fastening portion 84 for improving fastening force to the tub 20,additionally. Moreover, the door gasket 80 may have a water supply hoseconnection portion 86 for connection of a water supply hose (not shown)thereto, and a blocking portion 82 for compensating a sagged portion ofthe drum 30, additionally.

The tub fastening portion 84 is formed at a top portion of a rear of thedoor gasket 80 projected upward from an outside circumference of therear in a plate shape. The tub fastening portion 84 is placed in andfastened to a gasket fastening portion (not shown) in an upper side ofthe tub 20 with screws, or by forming a projection or a hook at leastone inside surface of the tub fastening portion 84 and the tub and arecesses in the other one for placing on the projection or the hook.

The blocking portion 82 is formed at an upper portion of a front of thedoor gasket 80, projected downward from an inside circumference of thefront in a shape of a stream line. The blocking portion 82 covers thegap between the top of the laundry opening 22 of the tub 20 and the topof the drum 30 when the drum 30 holds the laundry and the washing waterto the maximum. The blocking portion may be formed such that an upperside of the opening of the drum is not visible in at least a full loadstate. The full load state is a state in which the laundry is introducedto the washing machine as much as a maximum capacity. In general, thewashing machine has a maximum allowable laundry capacity showing toconsumers. For an example, a washing machine sold as an 11 kg classwashing machine becomes fully loaded when 11 kg of laundry is introducedthereto.

That is, referring to FIG. 4, if the drum 30 holds the laundry and thewashing water more than a certain weight, the front of the drum 30 sagsdown. This is because the drum 30 is mounted such that the front thereofis not fastened to the tub 20, but has a degree of freedom in a statethe front is spaced from the tub 20, while only the rear thereof issupported on the bearing housing 50. Therefore, if the drum 30 holds thelaundry and the washing water more than a certain weight, the front ofthe drum 30 sags down.

In this instance, if there is no blocking portion 82 at the door gasket80, various components, such as a water supply structure at an upperside of an inside of the tub 20 can becomes visible to the user throughthe gap between an upper side of the laundry opening 22 of the tub 20and the upper side of the drum 30.

If the blocking portion 82 of the door gasket 80 compensates as much asthe sagged portion of the drum 30, the gap between the top of thelaundry opening of the tub 20 and the top of the drum 30 is blocked.

Preferably, the blocking portion 82 may be formed to compensate as muchas an area made visible between the top of the laundry opening of thetub 20 and the top of the drum 30 as the drum 30 sags down.

Accordingly, it is preferable that the blocking portion 82 has a widththe same with a distance between a lowest point A of the drum 30 whenthe drum 30 holds no laundry and washing water in a state the drum 30 isstationary, and the lowest point B of the drum 30 when the drum 30 holdsthe laundry and the washing water to the maximum in a state the drum 30is stationary. That is, the blocking portion 82 has a width as much asthe sagged portion (from B to A) of the drum 30.

Moreover, since the blocking portion 82 is formed such that the gapbetween the laundry opening 22 of the tub 20 and the blocking portion 82has the shape of a stream line at the time the drum 30 is at the lowestpoint B, it is preferable that the blocking portion 82 is formed suchthat the blocking portion 82 is projected down from the insidecircumference of the upper side of the door gasket 80, with an edgethereof directing the drum 30 forms a stream line along an outsidecircumference of an upper side of the opening in the drum 30 inconformity with the shape of a stream line of the gap.

The washing machine of the present invention improves an estheticappreciation of the washing machine as exposure between the tub and thedrum caused by sagging of the front of the drum in a state the drumholds the laundry to the maximum is blocked.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it isintended that the present invention cover the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A washing machine comprising: a tub for accommodating washing water,the tub having a laundry opening; a drum rotatably coupled in the tubfor receiving laundry, the drum having an opening matched to the laundryopening; and a gasket having a blocking portion for blocking a portionof the laundry opening of the tub, asymmetrically.
 2. The washingmachine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking portion blocks thelaundry opening asymmetrically in up/down directions.
 3. The washingmachine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the blocking portion is formed toblock a portion of an upper side of laundry opening of the tub.
 4. Thewashing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the blocking portion isformed to make an upper most side of the opening in the drum is notvisible from a front side of the tub.
 5. The washing machine as claimedin claim 3, wherein the blocking portion is formed in a shape of astream line along an inside circumferential surface of an opening sideof the drum.
 6. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein thegasket includes a door sealing portion for sealing a door whichopens/closes the laundry opening in the tub, and the blocking portion isformed extended further from the door sealing portion inwardly in aradial direction.
 7. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe gasket includes a first fastening portion for placing acircumferential surface projected forward from a front of the tubtherein, and a second fastening portion to be fastened to an insidesurface of the tub.
 8. The washing machine as claimed in claim 7,wherein the second fastening portion includes a tub fastening portionhaving a plurality of grooves for placing projections or hooks formed onan inside surface of the tub therein.
 9. The washing machine as claimedin claim 1, further comprising a driving unit having a rotation shaftconnected to the drum, a bearing housing for supporting the rotationshaft, and a motor for rotating the rotation shaft; and a suspensionunit connected to the bearing housing for damping vibration of the drum.10. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising adriving unit having a rotation shaft connected to the drum, a bearinghousing for supporting the rotation shaft, and a motor for rotating therotation shaft; and a rear gasket for sealing a rear side of the tub toprevent water from leaking from the tub to the driving unit and enablingthe driving unit to make movement relative to the tub.
 11. The washingmachine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a suspension unit forsupporting and damping the drum, and the tub is supported rigidly morethan the drum is supported by the suspension unit.